Marketing personnel, who are responsible for selling equipment such as computer equipment like e-server systems, e.g., xSeries, typically rely on skilled technical teams when a client orders a suite solution of rack cabinets with systems interconnected. Usually, the technical team selects and obtains the proper cables with the proper lengths based on the actual, physical distance between the devices to be interconnected. Once this is done, a cable list is given to the marketing team that requested the solution. In this manner, the marketing team can complete the order selecting the correct cable part numbers, where each part number corresponds to a different cable length, type and cost.
Response to the client suffers under this scenario since the technical team's only option is to subsequently go to a lab and obtain all the components (e.g., I/O devices, routers, servers, etc.) which conform to the client solution; manually place the various components of the systems within the rack cabinets; and then, once construction of the suite solution is done, select the proper cable lengths that fit to the physically constructed system.
Additionally, besides doing the physical placement of the components and manually connecting the systems, the technical people must consider other conditions and factors for installing proper cabling such as: if the rack cabinets are placed side by side or are separated by an empty space; if the cable(s) can cross between the rack cabinet walls; if the client suite owns a raised (e.g., “fake”) floor for guiding the cables between the rack cabinets; if the system to connect specifies a unique exit point for all cables (e.g., cable management arm); if the system can be moved forward once installed in a rack cabinet; if the cable must follow the rack cabinet wall as a guiding path or can go directly between devices to get a shorter distance; and, if the connection must be made on the rear or in front of the rack cabinet, depending on the connector position. This scenario is inefficient with regard to time, cost, and/or resources.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists to overcome one or more of the deficiencies in the related art.